Eric Breteau, the Chairmain of the notorious „The Ark of Zoe“, that Non-Governmental Organization that dominated the news some six months back in connection with alleged orphans from the Darfur region, spilt the beans the other day by claiming that French officials backed their endeavor to surreptitiously extricate 103 orphans from that region last fall and to convey them to France. A couple of days after receiving the presidential pardon of President Idriss Debi Itno from Chad, Eric Breteau at last has voiced and couched his side of the story. Breteau has opined that advisers to President Nicolas Sarkozy of France as well as officials of the French minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner were not only privy to and aware of their agenda but also gave them the go-ahead and the backing to take orphans from the Darfur region to foster families in France. It should be noted that president Debi grant the members of this organization presidential pardon because France staved off the overthrow of his regime some weeks ago. Breteau alleged that it was agreed on that the former first lady Cecilia Sarkozy and the French minister of Justice – Attorney General Rachida Dati would officially welcome the said children at an airport in Paris … (full text, April 17, 2008).

He says: in this french 3 minutes TV-interview (my translation): ” … they were orphans … the proces in N’Djamena showed after 5 minutes they came from Darfour, not from Chad … and that the so called families were not their parents … but then it was said: you are condemned in any way … (YouTube: Arche de Zoé, Eric Breteau: “c’étaient des orphelins”, April 08, 2008.

You knew this was coming, right? Eric Breteau, the leader of the Arche de Zoé, claims that he had the backing of the French government for his operation, that he received advice from “advisors of Nicolas Sarkozy and Bernard Kouchner,” and that Rachida Dati and Cécilia Sarkozy were set to welcome 103 “rescued children” personally at the Vatry airport. He has written a book in captivity and will be marketing it assiduously with a full media blitz. (on French Politics).

… “The presidential pardon is accorded to Eric Breteau, Emilie Lelouch, Dominique Aubry, Alain Peligat, Philippe Van Winkelberg and Nadia Merimi,” said a presidential decree, read on state radio in the former French colony. (full text, March 31, 2008 ).

… The French government has been aware of Zoe’s Ark and its humanitarian aims since the spring. But it disassociated itself in the wake of the smuggling charges this week, and after Chadian president Idriss Deby accused the Ark of pedophilia and organ trafficking … (in: Orphan debacle in Chad raises risk to aid efforts A small group’s effort to sneak children out of the country to Europe sparks local anger. October 31, 2007).

Eric Breteau is a volunteer firefighter and the former president of the French 4×4 Federation. Zoe’s Ark says it is motivated by the firefighter’s spirit and sense of duty, as well as the catchphrase “courage and devotion”. The group, which describes itself as a non-profit organisation “dedicated to orphaned children”, is now focusing its activities on children caught in the four-and-a-half year war in Sudan’s Darfur region. Evacuation campaign: In April, Zoe’s Ark announced a campaign to evacuate 10,000 orphans from Darfur alongside other French charities including Sauver le Darfour (Save Darfur). It said it wanted to place orphaned Darfuri children aged under five in foster care with French families, invoking its right to do so under international law … (BBC, 29 October 2007).

All six French aid workers convicted in a mass kidnapping in Chad have been freed in France, hours after the Chadian president formally pardoned the group, the French Justice Ministry said … (full text).